


Nice to Meet You

by ImperfectOrphanage



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 08:23:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12128433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperfectOrphanage/pseuds/ImperfectOrphanage
Summary: Joshua is a normal teenage boy with all the pitfalls of youth. Not only does he wear magnifying lens glasses, but he wears braces and a few patches of acne to boot.In the middle of being bullied, he meets a happy-go-lucky basketballer named Neku Sakuraba.





	Nice to Meet You

The girls loved Joshua’s hair. It was one of the reasons the boys disliked him to the point of tripping him in the hallway and trying to hang him upside down from a window on the third floor. He didn’t understand the animosity directed his way as he didn’t quite care for sexual relations with the girls. They used him for fashion advice, shopping tips, and a general guide for metrosexuality. He was groomed with makeup and cute fashions, and his hair was something to whittle away at their lunch break. The girls would brush it, stroke the soft texture, braid it into little braids, add cute ribbons and bows, and they once attempted to use little color sticks until the teacher told them it was against code.

Joshua didn’t care. He studied while they fiddled with his hair. Reading was a joy and he loved learning strange and interesting facts. The teachers tolerated him because his father was rich, and his mother was a rather high ranking official. His grades were always good, and he never reported the students who made his life a living hell.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t teased and bullied just for being a quote-unquote chick magnet. No, he had the usual issues plaguing a western-born individual in the prime of his teens. Joshua had coke bottle glasses, braces, and a rather irritating patch of acne here and there. He didn’t use makeup unless the girls decided to use him as a guinea pig for new products. He was often teased because of the issues he carried, and mostly he was called Bunny because of his slightly too forward front teeth.

It didn’t matter. Joshua had a plan for his life and it involved study and discipline. He would learn all he could in school, go to the finest university, and continue his training under his many family members in all things traditionally Japanese. For now, however, he’d study today and blow off the afternoon at an arcade or his favorite café.

The bells chimed and Joshua fluffed his hair free of bows and trinkets. He handed the girls back their prizes and they made plans to go shopping Sunday afternoon.

Class always dragged on after lunch. Joshua threw his mind into books and what the teachers were attempting to teach, but shortly before the last few moments of class, he’d start to fade. Thankfully, he always made it to the end, and he rose with a yawn and a stretch. The classroom duties weren’t his this week, but he stayed to help a few of the girls with moving desks. It helped him more than the girls, as while he worked, the halls would clear and less bullying would take place. He also made a few friends with the boys after class, but it didn’t mean they didn’t tease him.

Joshua left with a wave and a nod, and he hurried down the hall and the stairs. In the middle of the first floor hallway leading to the locker room was a crowd of tough customers and of course, like every other moment spent in their presence, he was tripped, kicked, and laughed at. He said nothing as he collected his books and placed his glasses back on his nose. It wouldn’t do any good to complain.

The boys were feeling extra cruel, however, and one of them took Joshua’s bookbag to throw down the hallway. Joshua squeaked and tried to grab it but was shoved back to the ground by a foot on his back. He growled, wanting to fight back, but he knew it would be futile.

“Hey,” a voice called from down the hallway, “stop that.”

Looking up, Joshua adjusted his glasses to see a tall, dangerously thin boy with orange hair and a pair of bright, blue eyes. The boy was holding Joshua’s bookbag while the boys gathered with him collected the pens, pencils, and other items that flew out in the toss.

“Oi, Sakuraba, leave it alone,” one of the toughs said, “you’ve got no business here.”

Sakuraba tilted his head and a spark of playful warning lit his eyes. “Oh?”

The boys who had been teasing Joshua moved away and made some excuse to leave. Once they were gone, Joshua gathered his books and papers back up as he kept his eyes downcast. It was embarrassing to be rescued by some…well…from the look of it, a basketball player.

“Hey,” the boy called as he closed the distance between them, “you alright?”

“I’m quite alright, thank you. Forgive me for-“

“Wait…you’re that Kiryu guy? Sweet. Guys, it’s that Kiryu kid.”

The others of Neku’s team came up with what they’d gathered to pour everything into the backpack as Sakuraba held it open. Sakuraba took the books and papers from Joshua and stuffed them in the bag before shouldering it.

“C’mon, we’re going to Sunshine and you’re coming with us.”

Joshua paled. “I don’t think-“

“That’s not what I heard,” Sakuraba said. “You’re that genius guy that skipped a grade. Can’t say I’d ever do that. School’s kinda boring to be honest. Ah, before I forget. I’m Neku. Neku Sakuraba.”

“Obviously,” Joshua rose to dust his clothes off, “Yoshiya Kiryu. You may call me Joshua.”

“Cool. C’mon, we’ll go by the lockers on the way out so you can do whatever it is you need to.”

Joshua nodded. He felt a strange fear at how nice the boy and his pack were being. Neku refused to let Joshua hold his own bag, and he would playfully tug it away each time he tried. The fiery boy was much taller than Joshua, and he used it to his advantage. But the team wasn’t cruel or unkind-far from it. They were fun to be with as they joked and talked about who was getting some and who had done this or that.

“So tell me, Josh,” Neku still held the bag out of reach, “why do you let those guys do that?”

“I don’t want to cause a fuss.”

“That’s…stupid.”

“Excuse me, but you’re not the one on the receiving end of a foot.”

“True. But you’d think someone who’s been training in kendo for as long as you would know something about defense.”

Joshua blinked. “How?”

He set the bag down and positioned Joshua directly in front of him. Neku felt up Joshua’s arms and shoulders and he smiled. “You’ve got good muscle mass in the right spots for it. Do you practice archery?”

“I haven’t the eyes for it.”

“Too bad,” Neku teased, retrieving the bag, “you’d look cute in one of those off the shoulder outfits.”

Joshua didn’t move to follow at first. He composed his emotions and trotted up to Neku. “What do you mean by cute? Have you no eyes to see?”

“Dude, what? You’re cute. You’ve got those little pink rubber bands on your braces. I like your glasses cause they’re kinda perfect for your face.”

“But I have acne.”

“Nah. You’ve got constellations on your cheeks and stars on your neck. It’s nothing.”

Joshua felt his skin tingle. It wasn’t romantic. Neku was pointing out the obvious based on his view. The thought that Joshua had stars on his body made him giggle nervously, and he shook his head. “You’re adorable, Neku.”

“Thanks.”

They said nothing outside of small, unimportant talk until they reached Sunshine. Joshua hadn’t been one for fast food, but watching Neku chow down on nuggets while one of his friends explained the rules of basketball to Joshua made the fries taste less salty. He listened to terms such as alley-oop and bank shot, and wondered exactly what they would look like in person. Joshua had never gone to any of the games nor did he enjoy physical education.

“An’ then,” his friend slammed a hand on the table, “Neku ‘ere got us over the line.”

“Hey, it was one basket. We were neck and neck. I didn’t do anything,” Neku laughed. He smiled at Joshua briefly before teasing another teammate. The two of them fought over some pickles and they poked each other in the side. “So, uh, what do you do for fun?”

Joshua sat up straight with a fry half chewed in his mouth. “Fun?”

“Y’know, on your off days,” Neku popped a nugget in his mouth, “an’ after school.”

“Dear, don’t talk with your mouth full,” he said automatically. “It’s detestable.”

Neku snorted. He flicked one of the nuggets with his fingers, bounced it off the bridge of Joshua’s glasses, and landed it in one of the empty soda cups.

It froze Joshua for a few seconds. The movement had been so precise. He laughed, nervous and giddy all in one, and he covered his mouth with a napkin. “Forgive me.”

“So what do you do?” Neku leaned on his hands. He exchanged words with his teammates as they wandered off to go do something else. It left the two of them alone.

“Fun,” Joshua mused. “I often go to a café on Cat Street. My mentor owns the place and he’s quite the barista. Unfortunately, my time is better spent with the family learning traditional skills and values in order for me to traverse the world of business. Not to mention my parents would like for me to marry, and they’ve attempted to set me up with one of my distant cousins.”

“Ew.”

“It’s done in certain social circles.”

“I repeat,” Neku said, “ew.”

“Honestly.”

“But none of that sounded fun. What do you do for fun?”

Joshua glanced to the side. “It’s not worth mentioning.”

“What? Why?” Neku laughed. “Do you moonlight as a prostitute or something?”

“Of course not,” Joshua scoffed. “I merely am a tool for my female classmates. They enjoy playing with my hair, my face, and my nails. I’m often asked to try on dresses and the like for them. A few of them enjoy sewing and designing outfits. If we have time, we shop.”

“So, you moonlight as a girl.”

“You could say that,” Joshua sighed, “but you’d be rather rude.”

“Nah. It’s cool. I don’t care. I mean, you do have a girly figure. I bet with the right makeup you’d look pretty cute. Not that you aren’t already.”

Joshua squirmed in his seat. “Neku, are you hitting on me?”

“Nope.”

“Then why-“

“You need to hear it,” was all he’d say on the subject. “Look at the time. I’ve gotta get home before my baby sister. Do you think we can meet before school tomorrow? The guys and I usually shoot some hoops before school and I’d like you to watch.”

“Watch? Whatever for?”

Neku hopped up from his seat, slung his own bookbag over his shoulder, and grinned. “Just come.”

“Alright. I will. How early?”

“Thirty to forty minutes before the bell.”

“Agreed. It was nice…meeting you, Neku Sakuraba.”

“Likewise. See you there!”

Joshua watched the boy hurry off into the fading light of the afternoon. He cleaned up the table and tossed the garbage into one of the trash bins before gathering his things to leave. It would probably frighten his parents if he weren’t home on time. It was a day in which he was required to meditate and reflect on the porch before the garden. A sound mind made a sound person according to his mother.

Of course, Joshua felt his heart swell, having a friend never hurt.

\---

The dawn had barely come when Neku made it to school. He was practicing baskets when he heard another show up to the court. His teammates were hardly punctual, so it stood to reason the person standing there was his new friend Joshua. Neku didn’t need to look, he just knew.

“Good form,” Joshua said, sounding a bit unsure. “Is that what they say?”

“Not really,” Neku laughed, making another basket before dribbling the ball over to where Joshua stood in his finely pressed uniform. “You’re welcome to join in.”

Joshua snorted. He was sipping on a box of orange juice. “As if. I don’t do sweating.”

“Suit yourself.” Neku bounced back to mid court and tossed the ball at the basket. It hit the back board and flew toward Joshua. Neku didn’t have a chance to warn him.

Reaching up with his free hand, Joshua caught the ball as if it were nothing. He dribbled it a bit and tossed it back to Neku. “You should be careful.”

“Holy shit. You’ve got reflexes.”

“Neku, dear,” Joshua finished sipping his juice, “everyone has reflexes.”

“But you…you…” Neku stared at the ball. “Holy shit.”

Joshua giggled. “It pays to learn traditional fighting skills. Now, show me what you’re really worth.”

“Sure.” Neku grinned and tossed the ball from further and further away. His teammates eventually showed up and they played against each other while Joshua watched on the side. The guy had his attention on the ball, expression flat, and head turning this way and that as the ball went back and forth on the court. Neku liked having the attention, and it made him want to show off a bit. He tossed the ball across the court and it bounced on the rim before escaping.

“I’m quite certain that was out of bounds,” Joshua teased. “It’s almost time for school. You’ll want to get cleaned up, hm?”

Neku nodded. He slapped his teammates on the back as they started toward the showers but when he turned he could no longer see Joshua on the court. Either the guy was fast or he’d been training to be a ninja or something. Neku ignored it in favor of talking to his friends about girls.

Still. Joshua was on his mind. The guy was pretty cool for a brainiac.

\---

“The tea is too warm,” Joshua said between sips. He set the cup down and ran his finger along the rim of the rather plain container. “Sanae, are you listening to me?”

“Do I ever?” Sanae was sweeping up behind the counter as he pretended to pay attention. His focus was on the floor, and he muttered something about flour and sugar. Eventually he gave up and switched to the mop to slick the sticky mess behind.

“I apologize for not being here yesterday. I had other arrangements.”

Sanae looked up from his work and leaned on the mop. “So, was it meditation, business law, kendo, or tea service?”

“None, actually.” He sipped the tea with a wry smile. “I found a friend.”

The mop clattered and Sanae nearly tumbled to the ground. “Tha fuck? A friend?”

“Mmhm. His name is Neku Sakuraba and he’s an adorable red-headed basketball player. He came to rescue me from bullies and we went out with his team to Sunshine. I thought at first it was a joke and yet…he invited me to watch him play this morning.”

“Not that I ain’t happy fer ya, but be careful. I don’t want y’hurt.”

“I know. Thank you for your concern. Now,” he set the cup down and pushed it toward Sanae, “where were we in training?”

Sanae took the cup and poured the remains into the sink before rinsing it out. “We were workin’ on yer ability to keep Noise at bay.”

“Ah, yes. Those negative nancies.” Joshua placed both hands on the counter as he closed his eyes. “There are five outside to the left. Nothing much but strays who have honed in on us. Three to the right in red and black, who aren’t looking for trouble. I see one blue across the street and he’s attempting to lay low but I can see him and he can see me.”

“Good job. Now tell ‘em to git.”

Joshua breathed in slowly. He pushed against the Noise with the positive power of his soul. The red dissolved, the yellow dispersed, and the blue melted into the music of Shibuya. He felt sick at his stomach and dizzy, and the tea swirled painfully in his gut.

“Kiddo, calm down. Don’t stretch,” Sanae soothed. He placed his rough hands on Joshua’s and gave the petite blonde’s fingers a squeeze. “Y’don’t have ta do it all at once.”

“I know. However,” he exhaled, “I need to endure. Strong souls and strong minds make the best of our wonderful city. Shibuya needs me to be brave.”

Sanae patted him on the cheeks. “Don’t fuss.”

“I won’t,” he laughed, opening his eyes as he pulled back from the barista. “You’re far too hands on for a mentor, Sanae, dear.”

The clock above the back counter dinged and Joshua checked his watch. It was time to return to his estate to learn more kendo and perhaps today would be the day he’d defeat his uncle. Without a word he tossed coins onto the counter, hopped from the stool, and waved to Sanae as he left. He kept his attention on his feet and the legs of others as he refused to make unnecessary eye contact. People were weirded out by his violet eyes and-

Wait.

Neku…had he mentioned them?

The stray thought took hold and Joshua mulled it about. No. Neku had said nothing about his strange eyes behind the huge glasses. For most, it was the first thing they saw. Humans, the books said, that bore purple eyes had a higher spiritual content. Joshua thought it was stupid that people believed psychic gifts caused differences in blood vessels but whatever.

He continued down the street with a strange calm. Thinking about Neku’s smiling face made Joshua feel at peace, and he hummed to himself as he neared the Scramble. He’d need to take a bus home, but the ride was short and usually uneventful. The older ladies dotted on him and the older men told him stories of the past he loved to hear. You could only get certain forms of history from books, and what the people taught him was that books were just empty words.

Once home, Joshua quickly changed and hurried to training. It was a nice distraction from the world outside of his home and afterward he washed and soaked, and returned to his room. He had a light dinner of vegetables and sweet sauce, and he sat in a cuddly sweater while doing his homework. All in all, his life was simple and meaningful, and he went to bed at around nine-thirty.

Joshua didn’t fall asleep immediately. He’d brought his cellphone to bed to play a few puzzle games. The thought occurred to him that he should get Neku’s number, but he wondered if the guy even _had_ a portable phone. It wasn’t that Neku seemed poor, but he didn’t seem the technologically advanced type. Joshua crawled out of bed and dug around in his sock drawer for the phone he’d had before his upgrade. It was very similar to Joshua’s aside from certain personalized features.

But would it be too much?

He stared at the phone.

No. Neku would understand. He pulled out the charger and plugged both his and the old phone up to charge overnight. In the morning he would put it in a cute box and give it to Neku as a surprise. If he didn’t have a phone plan, well, Joshua could work that out as well.

It was nice having a friend.

\---

One of the things Neku enjoyed about school was lunch and study hall. He didn’t do much studying. On the contrary, he liked to raid the vending machines on the second floor and wander out onto the property with his current spoils. The teachers didn’t bother him. Neku was quite adept at sports and mathematics, and he’d be an asset in the future when he chose to go to university. His father also paid a pretty coin to get him into the private school, and because of his support, Neku was allowed freedom.

Bumming around the school he found a gathering of students standing at the back wall between two wings of the building. Joshua was there, looking rather uncomfortable, and the three boys who were all taller and thicker than Joshua were standing over him. One boy had his arm pressed to the wall as he leered at Joshua, and the other two stood back and laughed. Neku did nothing. He watched from the shadows and listened to the conversation.

“I really should be going back. The teachers will wonder.”

“Hey, kid, all I’m asking for is a kiss. You’re a girl, aren’t you?”

Joshua glared up at the boy. “You had best leave me alone or else I will make _you_ a girl.”

“Hah!” One of the others-who looked to have been hit with an ugly stick-laughed and punched the one leering at Joshua. “Are you gonna take that?”

The boy grinned cruelly and snagged Joshua’s chin. He pushed his mouth against Joshua’s and shoved him against the wall as he forced Joshua to partake of the kiss. Despite Joshua’s squirming, he was caught at the wrists and kissed over the cheeks and neck.

“Get…get off of me…” Joshua snarled. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Oh? You’re not gonna hurt me, are ya?”

Joshua curled his hands into fists. He stiffened his arms and used the boy as leverage to kick out at the space between his knees. The impact made Joshua’s oppressor scream in outrage and he moved to punch Joshua in the face. Instead, Joshua used his now free hand to jab the boy in the throat and the tall boy crumpled into a pile.

Shaking his hands and smoothing out his coat, Joshua glared at the others. “Do you want to go a round or are you smarter than you appear?”

They backed off. Joshua knelt down to pick up a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He stuffed one of the cigarettes in his mouth and began to smoke the second it was lit. Joshua walked past Neku without a thought, and he paused only at the end of the sidewalk. “Aren’t you coming, Neku?”

Neku flinched. He came out of hiding and laughed. “Wow, you’re, uh…tough.”

“I don’t want to be.” Joshua held a cigarette toward Neku. “Here.”

“Uh…I’ve-“

“I didn’t like Sunshine before you. At least try it.”

He took the cigarette, placed it between his lips, and watched as the fire from Joshua’s lit his own. The taste was mellow and sweet, and though it made him cough, Neku found it appealing. He followed next to Joshua as they walked to the gym where a group of younger students were playing basketball. The two of them watched for a bit before Joshua motioned for Neku to follow him.

Joshua led Neku to the back corner of the wall surrounding the school. It was a spot just behind the gym and next to the service building. The petite blonde plunked down onto the grass and continued to smoke as he patted a spot near him. “Sit.”

The movement was automatic. Neku sat down, leaned against the wall, and smoked. It felt wrong and yet right, and his more rebellious side was jumping for joy. He finished the cigarette and stubbed it out before tossing the butt near the wall.

“I brought you a gift, Neku. Do you have a cellphone?”

“Yeah,” he laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “I had one. It broke and I just…never used it. My dad still pays the plan cause I haven’t told him.”

“What luck. I have a spare.” He pulled a box from his pocket and handed it to Neku. “I factory reset it and I hope you like the color.”

Neku popped the once jewelry box open and saw a blue and gold phone sitting on a soft pillow. There were swirls of color around the front screen, and he flipped it open to see a menu with different options such as games and contacts. It wasn’t too different from his phone, except for the internet button in the middle of the select keys.

“You didn’t-“

“I put my number in there. Just in case you’d like to speak outside of school hours without needing to take a bus ride. It would be nice to have someone to talk to, don’t you agree?” Joshua smiled. He had finished smoking while Neku had been unboxing the phone.

“Thanks. It means a lot to me. I didn’t really use the old one. I don’t talk to many people outside of the house. It’ll come in handy. I’ll call Dad later and have him get the phone added. Then I’ll call you so you’ve got the number.”

“Wonderful.” Joshua was still smiling.

Neku didn’t know what else to do. He smiled back-somewhat shy-and pocketed the phone. Not many people gave him random gifts. Joshua was a strange person. He seemed to be easily delighted, but his exterior was one of immense calm. There was light in his purple eyes, and it was rubbing off on Neku. The thought that he really should be somewhere else, or that he should tell Joshua to go back to the class he was missing as he sat next to the aloof teen.

“So, tell me, Neku,” Joshua was picking at his nails, “what of your family life? You mentioned a baby sister the other day.”

He moved to lay on the grass with his arms under his head. “Yeah. She’s my half-sister. My dad got remarried after my mother died, and I watch my sister since we go to school in Shibuya. Dad travels a lot, and Mom-Number-Two is usually too busy with her fashion career to do much parenting. But they sent money and we have a nice little apartment. There’s also big sis. She’s not our actual sister, but my parents hired her to help take care of Yumi.”

“Interesting.”

“What about you?” Neku tilted his head. “You don’t seem like you have siblings.”

“I wouldn’t say I do. Our family is quite large. I keep to myself. I am the oldest and my future is set by my father to be the head of the family. It’s often disputed,” Joshua pulled out another cigarette, “since my mother was from America, but my father makes sure I’m respected. At least, in the family. You’ve seen how much respect one such as I garners in public.”

“You just haven’t found a niche.”

Joshua snorted. “Really, Neku. Change of subject. You asked what I do for fun.”

“Yeah, like a couple days ago.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Joshua exhaled a ring of smoke, “on what you meant by fun. I have certain requirements to be met and goals to achieve. It leaves little room for fun outside of time spent with my girls. But…I love to read. I like flipping through fashion magazines and I enjoy a bit of street art here and there.”

Neku sat up. “Street art? Really?”

“Mmhm. I take it you’re into it?”

“Hell yeah. I love CAT. He’s-well, no one knows if it’s a he or a they or whatever-is amazing. CAT designs clothes and writes music and makes amazing graffiti art. Oh, and he does traditional mediums with a modern kick. I saw his show the other day and holy shit it was so…”

“Amazing?”

“Yeah! Amazing.”

Joshua giggled. “My, Neku. You’re a fanboy.”

“I…hey…that’s not cool.”

“I’m only joking. Well, look at the time,” he said, idly checking his watch. “I should be off.”

Neku watched as Joshua stood, tucked the cigarette between his lips, and dusted off his pants. Before the petite blonde could completely disappear down the sidewalk, Neku hopped up and called after him. “Do you want to meet up somewhere after school?”

The boy paused, one foot half-lifted from the ground. He glanced over his shoulder. “One-oh-one Cat Street. Five-thirty. Bring change. I might take you to an arcade after.”

“Sweet. I’ll see you there!”

“Yes,” Joshua smiled teasingly, “you will.”

With that, Joshua disappeared around a building and Neku began to think about what he wanted to do with the rest of the afternoon. A nap sounded nice, but a jog around Shibuya sounded nicer. He went to the locker room and pulled out his spare clothes to change from his uniform to his sweats. Tossing the clothes in the locker after he changed, he left everything except for his wallet and the new phone.

The gates were cracked open and Neku trotted out to the sidewalk to warm up. He usually listened to music, but for today, he wanted to soak in the sounds of Shibuya.

\---

“So. Your friend is comin’.”

Joshua glanced up at Sanae before returning to the newspaper spread out on the counter. He sipped his tea, read a bit more, and set the cup down. “Yes. He’s quite the looker.”

“Heh,” Sanae snorted, “I bet. You ain’t hittin’ on ‘im, are ya?”

“Heavens no. I have far more things to worry about than dating. Oh, look, a new coffee shop is opening up across town.”

“Liar.”

He smiled slyly. “Neku should be here soon.”

The clock ticked past five-thirty and continued to move past fifteen til. Joshua was beginning to think Neku must have gotten distracted or perhaps he had changed his mind. It didn’t bother him at first, but thinking on the possibility that Neku had already moved on from being his friend was a bit painful. Joshua continued to sip tea and read, savoring both the drink and the countless silly information.

Five minutes to six and the door swung open with a clang of the bell.

“Oh, my God, I am _so_ sorry.”

Joshua turned to see a rather mussed Neku. He was messily dressed and freshly showered, and the wind outside carried the smell of soap and deodorant to Joshua. “What took you?”

Swinging shut, the door chimed one more time as Neku popped into the stood next to Joshua’s. “Something stupid. I went jogging and got distracted by an old friend and the television. Sorry, Josh. I thought I had more time than I did.”

“Apology accepted,” Joshua said with a wave of the hand. “You brought change?”

Neku dug in his shoulder bag and pulled out a small sack that jingled pleasantly. “Yep. A whole months’ worth of pocket change. I think it’ll be enough to get a couple prizes.”

“Good. I want to show you how good I am. Oh, would you like something to drink?” Joshua motioned toward the menu on the wall. “I recommend everything here except for the cake donuts. They’re not very good. My personal opinion of course. Sanae here-oh, where are my manners. Sanae Hanekoma, this is my new friend Neku Sakuraba.”

“Pleased ta meet’cha,” Sanae said, thrusting his hand out. “A friend of J’s is a friend of mine.”

He took Sanae’s hand and gave it a hard shake. “Sweet. I’ve never really been one for café food. Maybe another time.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Joshua slid from his seat, leaving the paper and the cup on the counter. He took Neku by the hand and led him outside while the boy put his change away and zipped his shoulder bag. They walked down the street for a few steps, and Joshua eventually pulled his hand free to place in the pockets of his uniform.

“You like to jog?” He asked, tilting his head.

“Yeah. It clears my head. I get kinda irritable if I don’t move a lot.”

“Mm. I’m the opposite. If I sweat I’m quite rude. I hate heat.”

“I could see why. You’re too pale and skinny.”

“Neku Sakuraba,” Joshua laughed, “you’ve got a waist much smaller than I.”

“Meh, whatever.” Neku was grinning regardless. “The arcade might be busy this time of day.”

Joshua shrugged. He continued walking with his hands in his pockets and his attention on the neon lights of Shibuya. It was nice having someone to be with, even if they weren’t talking much. Just having the presence of another human made Joshua calm, and the Noise and Players rushing around him were nothing but static with Neku’s happy energy.

The casual stroll to the arcade had put Joshua in a fun mood, and the two of them hit many machines from the front to the back. They played a few video games in which Neku taught Joshua how to play and play well. Joshua taught Neku how to properly play DDR, and both of them fought about the best way to win at crane machines. There were two machines in particular that were the bane of all arcade goers, but Neku was faring well despite it being rigged. He was patient, and he had sharp focus.

Watching Neku made Joshua feel excitement. It was a tense and powerful moment, and Joshua cheered alongside Neku when he finally won the plush cat he’d been fighting to get.

“Yeah! That makes five,” Neku said, counting the three Joshua had and the two he had. “I think we did really well, don’t you?”

“Mm. Yes. Unfortunately, it’s past seven and we should be getting home.”

Neku looked crestfallen. “…yeah.”

“Would you like to…ah…” Joshua couldn’t get the words out. He swallowed, attempted another go, and failed. “I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“Yeah! Bright and early. I like seeing you watch me play. Makes me feel important.”

Joshua’s cheeks flushed.

“Not…er…not like that!” Neku laughed nervously. “God, I just…you’re different.”

He glanced to the side. “T-thank you.”

“Okay, I’ll see you in the morning. Be careful going home!”

Joshua waved as Neku disappeared into the crowd of arcade goers and soon after Joshua left with a lightness in his step and a song in his heart.

\---

The friendship blossomed like any friendship would. Neku enjoyed going to Joshua’s house to eat dinner and Joshua enjoyed spending the weekend at Neku’s house. They played games, gossiped about school, and made plans for the future. In-between, they went to school, Neku played basketball, and Joshua had finally began to get into extracurriculars. He had taken up painting and sketching, and while Neku loved having Joshua watch him, Joshua refused to let Neku sit behind him until the work was near completion.

Months passed, and they had become inseparable.

Joshua stood in his bedroom, staring out of the window as he thought about Neku growing apart from him. Would they separate in the future, making all of this time worthless? Neku didn’t seem the type to let go once he found something, but the worry was always there.

His phone beeped and he flipped it open. A text from Neku was highlighted and he clicked open to read the tiny text on the small screen.

_“Hey! CAT just finished another mural in Udagawa. You’ve got to come and see this.”_

Joshua smiled. He quickly texted back that it was a bit late to be getting out, but a few seconds after sending it, he got another text practically begging him to come. Joshua glanced at his alarm clock and sighed. It wouldn’t take long. He could stay at Neku’s if they were out too late.

Shrugging on a bright pink sweater he pocketed his phone and bounced down the stairs to the foyer to tug on his shoes. He didn’t tell anyone he was going out. It rarely caused problems. Joshua left the house and trotted down the street until he reached more traveled roads. He continued to check his phone as he walked through busy shopping streets and into the Scramble.

 _“See you there?”_ was the last message he’d gotten from Neku. He’d replied that he should be there soon but traffic was a bit heavy. Joshua smiled as he stared at the screen.

It happened too fast to process. People were screaming. Tires were wailing. Joshua found he could fly before crashing hard on the ground. He could taste blood in his mouth and he couldn’t move his twisted legs or arms. Everything hurt and yet the pain faded quickly. Joshua felt his soul pulling from his body but he fought to remain.

_I have to tell Neku._

He strained, sucked in a pained breath, and begged his arms to move. It would be rude not to tell Neku he’d be late to their arrangement. He had to. He had to…text…him…

Joshua felt his body wilting. His eyes fought not to close and he struggled to stay conscious. He could see Noise circling around him, keeping just enough distance between. Joshua grunted, moaned, and arched his neck as best he could.

“I have to tell him…” he whispered to an onlooker who was telling him to relax and breathe. “Neku…I have to tell Neku…”

The people gathered around ignored his words. He felt his life leaving him and he begged the heavens to live long enough to talk to Neku one more time. There were so many things he wanted to say to so many people and yet the only person he truly worried for was Neku.

_Just…once…more…_

_I have to tell him…_

Joshua had heard that one’s life would flash before their eyes at death, but the only thing he could see was Neku’s disappointed face as he stood before a new painting from his favorite artist. The darkness came next, and Joshua sank into it as he felt the energy of his soul break up into bits of light. It didn’t take long for him to come to on the other side of things. He stood in the middle of the Scramble, eyes wide and wondering as a crowd of people stood with him.

It was the first day.

\---

Joshua took exactly three days to become Composer. It helped having Sanae and the Composer’s own assistance. He was growing tired of the world and the changes that had gone on in his Shibuya, and so when Joshua appeared before him, the Composer simply bowed, handed Joshua a bottle and a note, and told him to take care of the city he once loved.

The bottle was the concentrated energy of Shibuya. The note told him to drink it and go to sleep, and the next morning he would wake up with the power of a Composer at his disposal. Joshua thought it was all too easy, but he fell into the role without a fuss. His first order of business was to check on his dear friend, but some time had passed between Joshua’s death and the Game he’d been thrust into.

His once happy friend was now a shadow of his former self. Despite Neku having other friends, the death of Joshua had hit him hard as he blamed himself for it. _If only Joshua hadn’t been coming to see me_ , he would say. _He’d be alive. I wish I’d never met him._

It hurt to hear it. Unfortunately, there was little he could do for Neku.

Except…well…he _had_ been having a few issues with the city…

“Megumi, dear…suppose we play a little game?”


End file.
